Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
All those salty, tangy grinder-sandwich flavors are very much at home in a pasta salad. You get cool lettuce, little bites of deli meat and plenty of creamy dressing tucked around the penne. Pepperoncini give it the bright, briny edge that makes another forkful so appealing.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Original yield
- Serves 8
- Ingredients
- 17 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Lunch
- Primary protein
- Pork
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dish type
- Salads · Pasta salad · Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Cool the pasta first
Rinse the drained pasta with cold water to cool it, then drain it again.
2. Cut the mix-ins small
Slice the meats and cut the provolone into small pieces before combining the salad.
3. Whisk the dressing smooth
Combine the dressing thoroughly before pouring it over the pasta and salad ingredients.
Get to know the ingredients
Crisp lettuce
Use shredded iceberg or thinly sliced romaine hearts.
Provolone pieces
Thin slices or small cubes both work for mixing the cheese through the salad.
Halved grape tomatoes
Halve the tomatoes as listed so their size fits with the other bite-sized mix-ins.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 8. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Coat everything evenly
Pour the dressing over the combined pasta salad and toss until it reaches all the mix-ins.
A little more help as you go
For preparing ahead
Keep the shredded lettuce and dressing separate from the assembled ingredients until serving.
Pasta shape options
You can also use rotini or bow ties if you'd like a different shape.
A few questions you might have
Can I prepare it ahead?
Yes, assemble everything except the lettuce and dressing, then add those just before serving.
Should the pasta be warm?
Cool it with a cold-water rinse and drain again before combining the salad.
Can I replace the provolone?
You can use mozzarella as a substitute.
How small should I cut the meat?
Cut thin slices and keep the mix-ins bite-sized throughout.
What other lettuce works?
Thinly sliced hearts of romaine are the listed alternative to crisp shredded iceberg.
Any more cooking tips?
Chop everything small. Since the lettuce is shredded, I like to make sure all of the mix-ins are cut into bite-sized pieces as well. I recommend cutting the meat into 1/4-inch slices, slicing the provolone into bite-sized pieces, slicing the peppers, halving the tomatoes, and dicing the red onion. That way all of the flavors and textures blend well all together. To prepare ahead : Assemble all ingredients except the shredded lettuce and dressing. Toss the pasta salad with the lettuce and dressing right before serving. Substitutions: Pasta – Any medium-size, tubular pasta should work well. Bow-tie pasta or rotini are great, too. Red wine vinegar – White wine vinegar or white vinegar will work in a pinch. Iceberg lettuce – Crisp lettuce works best in this salad, so iceberg is ideal, but you can also substitute thinly sliced hearts of romaine for a similar substation. Provolone – Mozzarella cheese will work in place of the provolone. Red onion – Any onions will work just as well as red onion, such as white, yellow or sweet onion. How to Store: To save leftovers, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. How to Scale: This recipe can easily be doubled if you are feeding a crowd or halved for smaller portions.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: easyfamilyrecipes.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
